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September 29, 2017

MBMC issues bills after due date, penalise residents

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is forcing lakhs of residents to pay property tax penalty along with interest for its own inefficiency. The civic body has distributed property tax bills to its residents after the due date and is now asking them to cough up interest and penalty for delayed payment.The property tax bills distributed to the residents mention the bill date of May-June, the due date for which is August end. But they have been distributed the same only a week ago, which is well after the payment due date.”Despite this being their fault, the civic body is indulging in an unfair practice by asking residents to pay 2% interest as well as penalty for delayed payment,” said Mukhtar Khan, Mira Road resident.”MBMC should have waived off their penalty and interest even before residents start raising objections. There are several property owners who have paid penalty, for such cases, civic authorities should adjust the amount in next year’s property tax bill along with 2% interest,” said Advocate Kishore Samant of Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of CPIM.An MBMC official said that despite repeated reminders to the concerned authorities, bills were generated and printed after several months.Clarifying their stand on the subject, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Swati Deshpande said, “There is an error from our end, we would want people to pay their property tax bills along with penalty and interest. Those who have objections may also give an application so that the same can be put up with higher authorities.”Despite repeated attempts, MBMC Commissioner Naresh Gite did not respond.